Article details early history of area

A story in a 1941 Houma Courier announced the publication of local documentary research completed by writers and scholars who, during the Depression, worked for the Federal Works Progress Administration.

Bill EllzeyCorrespondent

Published: Tuesday, September 17, 2013 at 10:57 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, September 17, 2013 at 10:57 a.m.

A Houma Courier summary of historical details revealed in a publication released more than 70 years ago covers a range of information, collected from Terrebonne courthouse documents, interviews and old newspapers.

“Indians, once called ‘The Bravest on the River;’ a Chinese, whose shrimp drying method founded an industry; children whose Christmas comes in February; exiled Acadians; builders first of towpaths, then cordelle roads along the bayous; police jurors who thought it necessary to open the courthouse ‘now and then to let in the air’ and so bargained with caretaker.

“These and other characters, unique, dominant, some tragic, take their places in the pages of a Terrebonne parish history included in the WPA’s inventory of archives for the parish. Publication of the inventory was announced today by James H. Crutcher, state WPA administrator.”

The article in the Sept. 5, 1941, newspaper appears authored by someone who had seen the entire WPA publication. It refers to topics still familiar to present-day history buffs, as well as matters obscure or rarely discussed.

“Prior to 1765 there were few, if any, white men in the territory now comprising Terrebonne, according to the inventory. That year brought an influx of Acadians, some 250 of them, among the group, families of Thibodaux, Broussard, Argenaud, Dugas and Duplantis.

“Other early settlers were Marsh on Bayou Black, Belanger on Bayou Terrebonne, Prevost on Grand Caillou, Chauvin on Little Caillou. By 1803, R.H. and James Grinage had acquired the tract where now is located Houma, parish seat.

“Before these there had been, save a scattered trapper or so, only the Houmas whose courage the explorer Iberville had admired and who were gradually giving way before a white civilization. Scattered along the bayous, there remains today but a handful of these people, an Indian group deprived of reservation privilege because of intermarriage with other tribes and races.

“Originally a part of Lafourche parish, Terrebonne was created by legislative act in 1822. The first police jury met April 6 that year in the home of Alexander Dupre on Bayou Cane about three miles north of Houma. Erection of a small courthouse there was provided and this served until 1834 when the present parish seat was chosen.

“The Grinages and Hubert Belanger donated a site for the House of Justice, and a one-story brick affair costing $5,535 was built. Evidently court business was not very brisk in these days for in 1837 police jurors granted to J. Darce ‘for cutting the weeds’ and airing the courthouse the right to operate a tavern, billiard hall and bar on a corner of the parish lot, all without rent and licenses.”

The 1941 Courier article goes on to discuss early transportation, shrimp drying, religion, the early oil industry. It reports that the book’s inventory of archival sources covers most of the information available in the then newly erected Terrebonne court house.

An Internet search inspired by the information the article provided turned up several typewritten manuscripts also associated with the work of the WPA program in Terrebonne, including discussions of the history of several sugar plantation mansions, which will likely be subject of other parish histories.

The Courier and Daily Comet are looking for your old photographs and the memories that go with them. In order to protect your valuable photographs, do not send unsolicited photographs. Instead, contact Bill Ellzey at 876-5638 and leave a message. You may also write to him at: The Courier, P.O. Box 2717, Houma, LA 70361 or contact him at bill-ellzey@att.net.

<p>A Houma Courier summary of historical details revealed in a publication released more than 70 years ago covers a range of information, collected from Terrebonne courthouse documents, interviews and old newspapers.</p><p>“Indians, once called 'The Bravest on the River;' a Chinese, whose shrimp drying method founded an industry; children whose Christmas comes in February; exiled Acadians; builders first of towpaths, then cordelle roads along the bayous; police jurors who thought it necessary to open the courthouse 'now and then to let in the air' and so bargained with caretaker.</p><p>“These and other characters, unique, dominant, some tragic, take their places in the pages of a Terrebonne parish history included in the WPA's inventory of archives for the parish. Publication of the inventory was announced today by James H. Crutcher, state WPA administrator.”</p><p>The article in the Sept. 5, 1941, newspaper appears authored by someone who had seen the entire WPA publication. It refers to topics still familiar to present-day history buffs, as well as matters obscure or rarely discussed.</p><p>“Prior to 1765 there were few, if any, white men in the territory now comprising Terrebonne, according to the inventory. That year brought an influx of Acadians, some 250 of them, among the group, families of Thibodaux, Broussard, Argenaud, Dugas and Duplantis.</p><p>“Other early settlers were Marsh on Bayou Black, Belanger on Bayou Terrebonne, Prevost on Grand Caillou, Chauvin on Little Caillou. By 1803, R.H. and James Grinage had acquired the tract where now is located Houma, parish seat.</p><p>“Before these there had been, save a scattered trapper or so, only the Houmas whose courage the explorer Iberville had admired and who were gradually giving way before a white civilization. Scattered along the bayous, there remains today but a handful of these people, an Indian group deprived of reservation privilege because of intermarriage with other tribes and races.</p><p>“Originally a part of Lafourche parish, Terrebonne was created by legislative act in 1822. The first police jury met April 6 that year in the home of Alexander Dupre on Bayou Cane about three miles north of Houma. Erection of a small courthouse there was provided and this served until 1834 when the present parish seat was chosen.</p><p>“The Grinages and Hubert Belanger donated a site for the House of Justice, and a one-story brick affair costing $5,535 was built. Evidently court business was not very brisk in these days for in 1837 police jurors granted to J. Darce 'for cutting the weeds' and airing the courthouse the right to operate a tavern, billiard hall and bar on a corner of the parish lot, all without rent and licenses.”</p><p>The 1941 Courier article goes on to discuss early transportation, shrimp drying, religion, the early oil industry. It reports that the book's inventory of archival sources covers most of the information available in the then newly erected Terrebonne court house.</p><p>An Internet search inspired by the information the article provided turned up several typewritten manuscripts also associated with the work of the WPA program in Terrebonne, including discussions of the history of several sugar plantation mansions, which will likely be subject of other parish histories.</p><p>The Courier and Daily Comet are looking for your old photographs and the memories that go with them. In order to protect your valuable photographs, do not send unsolicited photographs. Instead, contact Bill Ellzey at 876-5638 and leave a message. You may also write to him at: The Courier, P.O. Box 2717, Houma, LA 70361 or contact him at bill-ellzey@att.net.</p>